nipper

Thats been true for ages, a poorly running engine will screw up a tranny shift points.

4 drain and fills change out all the fluid and all you have to do is run the gear selector through every position and count to ten at each one. ANother good thing is to do a drain and fill every other oil change and that keeps it fresh.

Our 2nd virgin?

www.cars101.com has alot of that maint info too.

Nope. Either the fan runs or not. If it is a short there would be reasons to check your fire insurance. It's your alt.

IF the EGR send a switch like signal it could really care less. I am not feeling well so I do not remeber how it sends a signal to the ECU.

(ssshhhh we don't want to scare him yet)

There is always one who's car decides to drown

Maybe the fuel formulation? The engines come from Japan, as well as the transmissions for the years affected.

Odd, i have never had this issue after lertting the car sit for ten minutes. You should replave your PCV and check the hoses to make sure they are clear no matter what, as if there is oil burning this can cause it.

Watch your oil consumption and replace your PCV valve. Heat seize is not the same as a low oil seize, sometimes you get lucky.

I've been wondering that myself. There are a few reasons HG's fail internally. One of them is ping, the ping that you can not hear. the ping you usually hear is from a too-hot spark plug, or before fuel injection carbon build up. A lot of ping that is unheard happens from the side of the cylinder, sometimes at the HG seal as it is highly stressed and gets a hot spot. Letting coolant go for too long can cause an electro-chemical process (do not ask me to explain as it is not my feild, like spelling or typing) Why do some blow and others don't... why do some people get hit by busses and others dont. I have not looked at the gearing between the forester and the outback. Maybe it is gearing, i really do not know why, unless we just do not see the complaints here. I know on the Austrailia board there was only 1 hg forester complaint. Granted i am not on the forester board (maybe i should correct that). But back to the OP. YOu made it this far let it be. AT this point if it goes, it will be more about maint, etc My money is on you going on for a lot more miles as long as you run decent gas, keep your knocke sensor circuit good, do tuneups, change anitfreeze, and avoid trees.

Well he isnt here yelling at us

Well it has been unusually cold this winter......

None. If it isnt broken do not fix it. I don't know why you are in a rush to change something that may never go bad. Personally I think it may be a gamble, as there are just as many soobies on here that go forever on the original HG as there are that blow them. Also it is rare that forester blows them. It happens, but personally I would just drive the car.

Well lets go with overheat for now. I would replace the thermostat, and just because it is cheap the radiaotr cap. It is always a good idea to change the oil after an overheat, since that gets overheated too, just takes longer.

Agreed. They mostly are there to keep shops from disconnecting the SRS just because someone wants it done.

Well also keep in mind that airbags are looking for a very specific signal from the accelerometer. A maml hit is a very soft hit and should not trigger a airbag deployment as the driver can still have control of the car after the accident. NHTSA may have complaints, but it may be a perfectly normal occurance, as it takes a very specicfic shock value, especially in a vehical that may be used off road, to set off the airbag. Just because the NHTSA has complaints doesnt mean that there is an issue.

http://www.wikilaw3k.org/forum/Cars-Transportation-Safety/Why-aren-39-t-school-buses-equipped-with-air-bags-or-at-the-very-least-seat-belts-347346.htm

You forgot that entire death thing. I would just unplug the airbag and remove the light. If you want to cover your but a sticker warning the airbag is diasbled otherwise i would do that. The NHTSA rule is to sit as back as possible to operate the car, but we know with Seniors that is not always possible. As long as she wears a seatbelt that should be good enough for her size.

Well that does cost 200.00 more to get that It is how they make it a universal fit over many different cars.

Well have you ever moved Grandpa from Miami to Maine? The same thing Ice in the wheels is a very common issue on all cars and trucks. There is someone on another list SCREAMING how dare the dealer sell him a car built for snow that has snow freeze on the driveshaft and wheels and he should not have to spray anything in preperation to avoid it. I think it is maybe the third time of being on other people's lists that i actually called somone an outright donkey and if he was my customer i would laugh him out the door. Once the weather gets into summer (over 30 degrees) and things belt, go crazy with a can of pam and spray the wheels, wheelwells and if you can the shields aover the driveshaft. The suspension doesnt usually freeze up on these (some cars do, but hey it happens it is called winter for a reason) so that should hopefully solve it. Consider a set of stealies with snow tires for your area.

Lets go with ice for now.

You get what you pay for, and you got it. NEVER by parts form a large box store PERIOD. For all your time and trouble you could have gotten a quality rebuild from autozone. Large stores and some autoparts stores get cheap rebuilds. They sometimes replace just the bad part and paint it. there is no such thing as standard definition of rebuilt.